Device for pulling ropes through conduits



(No Model.)

P. C. VOLLAN-D. DEVIGE FOR PULLING ROPES THROUGH GONDUITS.

No. 549,'757. Patented Nov. '12, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL C. VOLLAND, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TXVO-THIRDS TO HEINRICH G. PLACE.

LEUTBECHER AND JONATHAN E. MOXLEY, OF SAME SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,'757, dated November 12, 1895.

Application filed July 15, 1895. Serial No. 556,050. (No model.)

To all whom it may concrn:

Be it known that LPAU L C. VOLLAND,a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Pulling Ropes Through Conduits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for passing ropes, wires, or cables through pipes or Io conduits.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which may be inserted at one end of a pipe or conduit and which will pass through said pipe or conduit and pull arope, wire, or cable through after it.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of the device inserted in a pipe and showing the prim ary or normal position of its parts. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device inserted in apipe and showing the position of the parts when the spring is compressed and the device is ready to move forward. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the conduit and an end View of the device, showing four cam-wedges. Fig. 4 shows two views of the sliding head with one eam-wedge only attached. Fig. 5 is a viewlike Fig. 3, showing a modification where only three cam-wedges are used. Fig. 6 shows a modification in the construction of the rope-puller. Fig. 7 is a crosssectional View of same in the line 7 7 looking toward the left. Fig. S is a view, on a larger scale, of the sliding head of this modification with one cam-wedge only attached.

The letter A designates the prow end, and B the stern end. These two ends must be secured together by some suitable means to maintain them always in the same relative fixed position.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a tubular case C is employed to rigidly secure the two ends together; but other means may be used for this purpose. A central rod d is in the tube and eX- tends from the prow end to the stern end. A head e is free to slide between the said two ends, and this head carries a plural number of cam-wedges f, each of which in the present instance is attached to the head by a pivot g. Any number of cam-wedges may be used. In the drawings I have shown in one instance four and in another three. Each cam-wedge heel of each and all of the wedges.

-the point end or prow end of the device.

has at its innermost end a heel 77, and a Washerplate loose around the rod d bears against the A spiral spring i is nterposed between the said sliding head e and the prow end. As here shown, the spiral spring bears against the Washer and serves by its expansion to keep the sliding head and wedges normally in position near the stern end, as in Fig. 1. The spring eauses pressure normally on all the heel ends of the pivoted cam-wedges, and thereby the outer ends of the wedges are normally tilted toward The tube has slots f through each of which one of the cam-wedges projects. The stern end has an eye j, to which an Operating' cord or rope Ic is attached.

The operation is as follows: A device tobe operative must be of a certain size relative to the size of conduit it is to be used with. When the device is inserted in a tube or conduit L, the outer ends of the cam-wedges will impinge loosely against the inner wall or surfaces of the conduit, as in Fig. 1. The Operating-cord k is then pulled to compress the spring o', and this pulling on the cord will also cause the cam-wedges to firmly engage against the inner walls and thus prevent them and the head e from being drawn backward, the tube and rod sliding past the head e to the limit of the compression of the spring. Now, the spring being compressed, the operator will suddenly release the cord k, and thereupon the forcilole relaxation of the spring will proj ect or shoot the entire device forward in the conduit L. The eXtent of this projection will vary from, say, siX inches to ten feet, depending on the conditions. The operation of compressing the spring and releasing suddenly may then be repeated again and again and thus advance the device step by step through a conduit of indefinite length. The operating-cord k is thus drawn through the conduit, and by then drawing on this rope from the terninal end of the conduit any wire or cable nay be drawn through.

Each cam-wedge f may have a small cord or wire m attached to it, if desired. These cords m will serve, when the device is in a conduit and circumstances require that it be withdra'wn or pulled back to the entrance end, to tilt the cam-wedges and release them IOO from inpinging against the inner wall-surfaces of the conduit. By this means the deviee may be retracted or drawn back.

The can-wedges in Figs. 1, 2, and l are shown with serrated edges n.

In Figs. (i, 7, and 8 are illustrated a modification in the Construction of my device. The essential elements are the sane and the mode of operation is the same as in the form of construction already described. In the modification the two ends A B are Secured together by rodsC'. No tnhnlar case is enployed and no central rod. A head e' in this modification slides on the rods C and carries the camwedges f which are substantially the same as those in Fig. l. The only difference hetween the eam-wedges consists in the fact that those in Figs. (i, 7, and 8 have rubber contacthlocks o, while those in Fig. 1 have burr edges or sei-rated edges n The stern end has a block of wood or ruhber 2 to serve as a cnshion, against which the sliding head e or e' may strike when the spring relaxes. The point end of the deviee is provided with rollers q, which serve to support that end and travel along the conduit and reduce the frction when the (levice is projected forward.

The form of wedges here shown may be varied. The essential thing is to have them of such form that they will move so as to slightly contraet, in order to enter the pipe or Conduit, and then to move the reverse way, so as to slightly expand, in order to npnge against the inner surface of the pipe or conduit.

Having thus described ny nvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A device for passing ropes through conduits, conprising, in co'nbnation, a prow end; a stern end; a rod extending between said two ends; a head sliding on said rod; a number of can-wedges pivoted only to the sliding head and each provided with project ing inpinging faces to take against the wall of the conduit and with an inner heel end; a washer loose on said red and hearing against the heel ends o'f all the ean-wedges; a spring surrounding the said rod and interposed hetween said sliding head and the prow end of the device; and an Operating cord 'fixed to the said stern end.

2. A device for passing ropes through conduits, conprising, in conbination, a prow end, A; a stern end, B, having an eye; a tubular easing conneeting said two ends and provided with slots or openings in its sides extending longitudin ally a rod inclosed within said tube; a head sliding on said rod; a number of cam-wedges pivoted to the sliding head and each projecting through one of said slots and provided with an outer impinging face and at its inner end with a heel; a washer loose 011 the rod and hearing against the heels of all the canmvedges; a spral spring surrounding the said rod and interposed between said prow end and slidinghead; and an operating cord attached to the said eye ol' the stern end.

In testimony whereof I affix my si gnatnre in the presence of two witnesses.

PAUL C. VOLLANI). witnesses:

L. I. VAN IIORN, C. CALVERT IIINES. 

